


Promises

by lazyDaysie



Series: Consideration [2]
Category: Dragon Quest Series, Dragon Quest XI
Genre: Erik don't be dumb, Feelings, Hiding Injuries, IT'S GAY, Just boys being friends, Kissing, Luminary is a sweet naïve boy, M/M, Neck Kissing, RIP Erik your boyfriend is too cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-01
Updated: 2018-10-01
Packaged: 2019-07-23 11:06:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16157759
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lazyDaysie/pseuds/lazyDaysie
Summary: After Gondolia, the gang is safely aboard the Salty Stallion. Erik hides things but not well enough, and the Luminary gets up the nerve to say a few things.





	Promises

Getting away from Gondolia had been far from easy. Between Jasper and the tentacular, escape would have been impossible were it not for the help of the Doge. Miles out to sea, with Gondolia a few lights on the horizon, El could finally breathe easy. Or… he _would_ , if he couldn’t tell that _Erik’s_ breathing was all wrong.

Erik stood a little hunched over, arms tight to his side like he was fighting the urge to hug himself… or hold his ribs. His breathing as shallow as it was... El’s eyes narrowed.

“Erik?” he called.

Erik looked up with a carefully controlled smile. “Hey, El. Nice rescue back there.”

El went to him, healing magic sparking at his fingertips. “Should we get Serena?”

“No, no,” Erik waved him off. “I’m just bruised; it’s nothing a good night’s sleep won’t fix. Besides, she’s almost out of MP, right?”

El frowned, about to point out the existence of magic water, when Sylvando appeared, the twins in tow.

“Hello, darlings~ Shall we see to assigning quarters, then?”

“Sounds good to me,” Erik said with a grin.

El nodded, giving Sylv a quiet smile. “I’m sure we’re all exhausted,” he said diplomatically.

**Loading . . .**

“Well, here’s the crew’s quarters!” Sylv said brightly, as if it were a perfectly reasonable hour. “That room at the end is mine, and the one closest to the stairs is Davé’s.”

Veronica nodded. “So we can pick out our own rooms?” she asked.

“Can we share?” Serena asked, glancing at her sister.

“If you want to, darling, of course,” Sylv assured her. “But if you want separate beds, you’ll need to wait until morning; one bed per room, sweetie.”

“I understand!” Serena smiled. “Veronica and I have shared _loads_ of times.”

“Especially in the Celestial Sands,” Veronica grouched. “For a desert, it certainly got _cold_ at night!”

El chuckled softly, looking into the room across from Sylvando’s. This room, it seemed, had a double bed, fully made in soft sheets and blankets, with fluffy pillows. There was a desk, a chair, and a large clothes press—which, upon closer inspection, proved to be anchored to the wall, brilliant—empty of anything but shelves and drawers to store… well, drawers.

El giggled to himself a moment; he must’ve been more tired than he thought.

There were shelves nailed into the walls, each with a raised lip to prevent things falling from them. A soft carpet laid underfoot. There was a small, round window over the bed. It was honestly one of the most luxurious rooms El had ever _seen_ … but of course, that was Sylvando: always exceeding expectations to ludicrous extremes.

Nodding to himself, he turned to leave, and noticed a door that seemed to lead to the adjacent room. He opened it without thinking much of it, wanting to see if anyone had chosen the room beside his own.

Someone had.

Erik stood in the center of the room, halfway out of his shirt and making pained noises. As the hem rose, it became clear why: Erik’s torso was a palette of blues, blacks and purples, with some reds thrown in for flavor.

El couldn’t stifle a gasp, and Erik pulled the shirt the rest of the way off in a single, startled motion. Despite the harsh hiss of pain, he relaxed visibly when he saw his visitor.

“Oh, hey, El.” Erik tossed his shirt onto his bed and crossed his arms over his darkly bruised chest. “Did you need something?”

Rather than answer, El walked over, stared at him for a moment, and then gently guided him to sit on the bed.

Erik smiled with only the barest hint of uncertainty. “Uh, I don’t usually do this on the first date, you know,” he winked. “But since you saved my life a few hours ago…”

El rolled his eyes, going a bit pink. “Just hold still while I heal you,” he said, calling up a basic midheal spell. He knelt in front of Erik for the best access to his battered torso.

Erik only smiled wider, leaning back a bit. “Yes sir,” he teased, closing his eyes.

El huffed and finished casting. The bruises began to fade immediately, and El kept his hands on Erik’s ribs as– ah, yes, as he suspected, one rib straightened and popped as it returned to its proper shape. El narrowed his eyes up at Erik.

“Not a big deal, eh?”

Erik’s smile turned sheepish. “I didn’t think it was broken…?”

“Liar.”

Erik snorted. “All right, so I’m a liar,” he admitted, looking much more relaxed now that the bruising was mostly gone. “Are you going to do something about it?”

“I should,” El sighed. He leaned on Erik’s thighs with his forearms. “I’m not really sure what I would do, though.”

Erik suddenly seemed a little flushed. “I… I don’t know. Maybe confine me to quarters?”

“That would only work when we’re on the Stallion.” El hummed, chewing his lip as he considered his options.

Erik shifted a bit under El’s arms.

“I could send you to bed without supper…” El mused. “But I wouldn’t want you to go hungry…”

“I’ve been hungry before,” Erik said, not quite meeting El’s eyes. “It didn’t change me then, and it won’t change me now.”

“I’ll admit I’m not sure what to do, then.” Then, El blinked, remembering something. “Oh, yes, your kiss.” With that, he leaned forward and placed a dry kiss right over Erik’s newly mended rib.

As it turned out, Erik’s pale complexion let him blush from his ears all down his neck and onto his chest. It was… _cute_. El leaned forward again, kissing Erik’s ribs on the other side of his torso.

Erik let out a strangled noise, head tilted back so El couldn’t see his face, so El moved closer to him.

“Erik? Are you okay? Did I miss something?”

Erik wheezed. “Yggdrasil’s _roots_ , El, I can’t believe you,” he managed at last.

El frowned. “What did I do?”

“What did you…” Erik covered his eyes with one hand, chuckling breathily. “Think about where you are.”

Where he was? “I’m in your room aboard the Stallion.”

The chuckles gained in both volume and something like hysteria. “You’re _between my legs_ , El, talking about ways you could _punish me_ , while _kissing my chest_.”

“Yes, but—” The realization hit him. “Oh.” El felt his face heat up.

“Yes, _oh_.” Erik laughed nervously, finally managing to look El in the eyes. “Not that I’m complaining about the view, but is this _really_ where you want to be?”

El thought back to his conversation with Sylvando, thought of the things he’d promised himself to tell Erik when he’d been rescued… thought of watching Erik, helpless and surrounded by soldiers, and the fear that had stabbed through his belly as Serena had dragged him away.

Kind, strong, beautiful Erik, his best friend and confidant, his most trusted companion...

“...And what if it is?” El asked, flushing ever hotter.

Erik’s jaw dropped, his eyes wide. “El…?”

El pressed closer, pushing Erik’s knees further apart with his ribcage. “What if I like kissing you,” he asked, “and talking about ways to punish you?” He reddened. “...What if I like the view, too?”

Erik seemed entranced, or perhaps simply stunned into inaction, gazing down at El with eyes wide and disbelieving.

El smiled nervously up at Erik. “Well?”

“Yes,” Erik stammered at last. “I. I like it too. You, that is. Kissing me.” Gone was the laid-back attitude, but in its place was something fragile and warm.

“Good,” El said, leaning in to kiss Erik’s sternum.

It was then that Erik, in either a fit of confidence or impatience, gently cupped El’s cheek, pulling him in for a proper kiss on the mouth. His whole body was flushed buzzberry red, but he kissed with enthusiasm and a little bit of _tongue_ slipped between El’s lips. The sensation was distinctly odd, but not at all unpleasant, and El began to reciprocate.

They both lost themselves a bit to the kiss, and when El came back to himself, he was straddling Erik’s lap, panting like he’d just run a race, and Erik looked up at him like… like he’d forgotten how to breathe.

_–“It’s like a flower looks at the sun.”–_

El pressed his body as close to Erik as he could, holding him tight.

“Never leave me,” El murmured into Erik’s hair.

Erik shivered, returning the embrace with equal enthusiasm. “ _Never_ ,” he swore.

El gave a shuddering sigh of relief and began to kiss down Erik’s neck.

“It’s a promise.”

**—Fin**


End file.
